Navigating Life After Loss – Part 3: Planning Your First Year with Clarity and Care (Ep. 69)
The first year after losing a spouse brings overwhelming emotions alongside important decisions. Knowing what needs immediate attention versus what can wait can make the difference between added stress and thoughtful progress.
In Part 3 of our Navigating Life After Loss series, I share how to approach both urgent and long-term planning after the loss of a spouse. I explain which financial and lifestyle choices deserve early focus, how tax planning can protect your future, and why building a supportive foundation is essential. Together, we look at practical ways to move forward with clarity and confidence.
Key takeaways include:
- The impact of pre-death planning, wills, estate plans, and beneficiary designations on easing stress after loss
- The key financial updates in the first year, including executors, trustees, Social Security timing, and income sources
- How tax filing status changes after a spouse’s passing, and strategies like Roth conversions and capital gains harvesting
- Rebuilding a financial foundation through account consolidation, investment updates, and income planning
- The importance of lifestyle and emotional choices, such as housing, community support, and designing the next chapter of life
- And more!
Resources:
- Get Your FREE Simply Retirement Roadmap
- Navigating Life After Loss: A Guide for the Newly Widowed
- #67 – Navigating Life After Loss – Part 1: The First Week
- #68 – Navigating Life After Loss – Part 2: Financial & Legal Aspects
- #37 – Top 5 Questions on Social Security Survivor Benefits
- #60 – Downsize or Rent in Retirement? 5 Key Decisions You Should Consider
- #66 – Understanding The Widow’s Penalty and What You Can Do About It
Connect with Eric Blake:
- www.TheSimplyRetirementPodcast.com
- Join the Simply Retirement Newsletter
- Ask a Question or Suggest a Topic for the Podcast
- Blake Wealth Management
- YouTube
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